Blood guard was a great book and I liked how the author wrote the storyline with a fast flowing and easy to read story that keeps you reading until the end.

I have to admit - I got burned out on vampires. I read Twilight, Sookie Stackhouse, Night Huntress, Black Dagger Brotherhood and Chicagoland Vampires all in the same time period (along with countless other vampire books), and I just kind of got sick of them. It’s been a while since I read a vampire book. I’m glad it was Megan Erickson that broke my dry spell.

Blood Guard is not Megan’s first trip into the paranormal (see her Silver Tip Pack series for that), but it is her first go at the blood suckers. When I read a new vampire book by a new author or a new-to-me author, I’m always most interested in how they will use and spin the mythology we’re all familiar with.

In Megan’s vampire world (which is our own world, so it’s got a gritty, urban fantasy vibe to it), sunlight is deadly, they are long lived and they drink human blood to survive. All very normal vampire traits. But, in true Megan Erickson fashion, there’s a unique element or two added in just to make things extra interesting.

Our heroine, Tendra, is a pretty badass human. She has no knowledge of vampires in the beginning, and we learn that she has just lost her only family and is feeling pretty alone in her small town. She’s in a perfect position for vampire prince Athan to pluck her from her humdrum life and show her that vampires are real. But, she was not a random choice. She has a specific role to fulfill, and he’s here to protect her while they travel so that she can realize her destiny.

Thank goodness that Megan Erickson didn’t have Tendra automatically accept all this as fact right away. I hate when heroines are told vampires are real in books, and after a few half-hearted attempts at denial, they fall in line. Tendra’s a lot tougher than that, and Athan knows he has to offer her some pretty solid proof. Even with all that, it still takes her a short while to come to terms with all of it.

Like she did with the Silver Tip Pack series, Blood Guard doesn't follow every rule for vampires out there. Megan puts her ability to shock the crap out of us to good use. There's a few big twists in store that will surprise you and keep you glued to the pages. Well, those and the super sexiness. Because Tendra and Athan are crazy hot together. Their sexual chemistry builds for awhile because she's been promised to his brother. But, of course, Athan can't keep his hands off her. Thank goodness.

I'm completely sold on Megan Erickson's world of vampires. I can't see what is in store for Athan's brother Idris.

To be honest it's been a while (I would say years) since the last time I read a series about vampires and yes I have read a lot (I need to go back to review those series so that you know to what I refer to) and this one made be hooked to it.

The author really sets us into the scene and characters smoothly from the beginning and adds more characters as the story progresses. The pace of the story is really good and I love that I get the story from both main characters. (No need to wait for another book rewritten to the other character's point of view). I also love the fact that this a story standing on its own with its beginning, plot and its end.

As every author who respect him/herself she differentiates a bit his/her version of vampires with lovely details.

I really loved this new vampire world and I'm looking forward for the next story. Wondering if the story will pick new main characters or it will continue with the same.

DNF
I like PNR but this book just wasn't my cup of tea. I have read some of her books and enjoyed them. This one was a miss for me, unfortunately.

****I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ****
I love a good paranormal vampire romance story. Seriously anything that can’t make me fall in love with a blood sucking monster I am going to read it. When I read the synopsis for this book I was in.
Athan is the second son of his clans ruling family. His duty has been since birth has been to protect their future Queen and his brother’s wife. Tendra (Ten) has always independent and strong willed all fostered by her nomadic with her mother. But now Ten is on her own and a new journey is about to begin.
Blood Guard absolutely blew me away. Both the main characters were well written and Ten was a complete badass. She held her own throughout. Athan was still an Alpha and impossible to ignore. The world building was done really well. I didn’t feel like there was any info dumping; everything was revealed in a timely manner. Every minor character in the book was also strong not just some flat character taking up space in the story. I can’t wait to read the second book in the series.
Based on the ending of this book I believe it is to your benefit to read all the books in order. If you like BDB, Midnight Breed, or the Night Huntress series; you should definitely check this book out.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Blood Guard by Megan Erickson
Book One of the Mission series
Publisher: Loveswept
Publication Date: September 11, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

Enter a world of immortal danger and desire—and discover an incredible fate borne of blood.

Tendra: One minute, I’m a bartender in gritty Mission City; the next, I’m whisked away by a vampire named Athan who tells me that I’m the lifeblood of his clan. It sounds unbelievable, but he’s got evidence I can’t deny. Turns out, Athan belongs to an underground society of vampires who feed only on humans with their consent. Their enemies have no such qualms, and they want me dead. The only thing standing in their way is strong, sexy Athan. And the closer we get, the more tempted I am to let Athan feed. . . .

Athan: How could I have known when I snatched this snarky, beautiful human off the streets that she would change my destiny? As a loyal soldier, I must deliver Tendra to our future king—my brother. Empowered with the blood of ten generations of the Gregorie breed, she is fated to rule as our queen. But there’s something between us that’s so intoxicating, so carnal, I can’t help wanting Tendra for myself . . . even if it’s treason.

What I Liked:

I'm going to be honest: I've always loved (adult) vampire romance novels, specifically male vampire/female human ones. I know the vampire thing has been exhausted and beat dead over the last ten years or so, and there are certainly many novels that sound the same when it comes to this trope. I've not read a good PNR novel featuring vampires in a long time, and Blood Guard was exactly what I wanted and needed. I've been a huge fan of Erickson's so I would have read this book even if I hated vampire romance novels. But luckily, I love them, and I love Erickson's books, so this book is a huge win for me! And even better - it was a good book.

Tendra has been living in Mission for a short time, since her mother passed away. She and her mother moved a lot over the years, and the latest place was Mission. Tendra has no attachments to Mission, but she likes her job and her coworkers. One night at the bar she works at changes everything. She finds out (the hard way) that her blood is special and will make the head of the Gregorie vampire clan stronger and more powerful. Oh yeah, and she finds out that vampires exist. Athan Gregorie has come to take her to his brother, Idris, who is the vampire who will be strengthened by Tendra's blood. Athan's duty is to bring Tendra safely to Idris, with none of her blood spilled. Tendra's duty is to be the queen of the Gregorie clan by giving her blood to the king (Idris). But duty comes up against their growing feelings for each other, and they will find that the closer they get to the Gregorie stronghold, the harder it is to let go.

Sometimes in romance novels, I adore the hero and HATE the heroine. It's so sad when that happens, because the story is pretty much ruined at that point. I'm always slightly nervous when starting a new romance novel, for that reason. In this book's case... I loved Athan, and I loved Tendra.

Tendra is such a likable heroine. She is tough and smart, and she speaks her mind. One thing I hate about some heroines is how they seem feisty and assertive, but when it comes down to some things, they shut their mouth. This definitely isn't the case with Tendra. She makes many things clear - that she doesn't want to be some guy's blood bank, that she doesn't want to have her free will taken from her, that she doesn't want to leave Athan. Tendra doesn't lie back and accept fate - no, she fights for what she wants. Her safety, Athan's well-being, their relationship, the fate of the Gregorie clan and the human world... Tendra understands her duty as Sanguivita, but she also isn't letting an old prophecy rule her life. I'm a huge fan of Tendra.

I also loved Athan, just as much as or even more than Tendra. He is gruff and unsmiling, the kind of hero that doesn't really joke around but isn't a total grump either. He's the broody, protective type, who is a warrior but also a sweetheart. Athan puts his duty and his respect for his brother above everything... or he tries, when it comes to Tendra especially. But I liked how even though he was always trying to carry out his duty (bring Tendra safely to Idris), he still accepts his growing feelings for Tendra. It's tricky, falling in love with someone who will be crucial in keeping peace between vampires and humans.

This book was a little on the short side - not novella short, but not a full-length romance novel. So it seems fairly fast-paced and it almost seems like the plot is too simple. I know some readers didn't like how it seemed like there was nothing going on. The main objective of the story is getting Tendra to Idris without getting killed or anyone drinking her blood. It's a journey of action and high stakes, so it isn't boring by any means. Simple, yes, but not boring. There weren't huge twists and turns, and the one "big thing" didn't surprise me, but I liked it.

Speaking of that, the ending of the book was fantastic. There is no drama in this book and absolutely no love triangle. By the time Athan and Tendra get to the Gregorie home, they are very much in lust and in love. Idris never enters the picture as a love interest, and it's clear from him and Tendra meeting that he has no interest in her. There is no drama in this book - no shenanigans, no lies, no fighting between the brothers. I loved this! I hate it when romance novels involve a woman coming between two brothers, whether it's because of a love triangle, or anything else.

I should mention that the romance is lovely! There is definitely lust at first sight, but no insta-love. I liked seeing Athan and Tendra get more and more comfortable with each other, and fall for each other. They have really hot chemistry and there are several scorching hot scenes in this book. It's a short book, and I definitely wanted more!

Also worth noting - I love the bodyguard/protector trope. In contemporary novels, it's usually a male bodyguard and a female woman to be protected. I love those stories, and I liked this one. I don't usually go for novels involving a brother (or friend) falling for his brother's/friend's intended, but there was no drama and no love triangle in this story. Which was awesome!

Overall, this was a great start to the series. I liked Athan and Tendra a lot, and I hope they will appear in the future books of this series.

What I Did Not Like:

Nothing really major, but like I mentioned before, this book is a little short, and its plot is pretty simple. It's a quick read, but I would have loved more. I definitely would not have wanted any drama and love triangles though.

I also kind of wanted some answers on Brex, Tendra's cat. Is he a supernatural kitty? Maybe a familiar or something? This isn't a huge thing, but the author made it seem like the cat was going to play a huge role in the book, and that there was something significant that would be revealed about him. But then there never was. Honestly, I half-expected Brex to shape-shift into a human form. (Surprise, I've been peeping you two all along, during all of your hot sexy times! That would be weird. Never mind.) Here's hoping Brex will show up in the next book!

I'm hoping the next book features a little more vampire politics and whatnot. I feel like this book had a lot of good vampire/bad vampire politics, where it is black and white. But are all of the Valarian vampires bad? The Quellen? Probably not. I definitely want to see more of both of those clans of vampires, to better understand them.

But, these are minor things!

Would I Recommend It:

If you're in the mood for a quick and steamy paranormal romance novel, this is definitely for you. It's a good vampire romance novel, not a generic repetitive one. I doubt vampire novels are making a comeback, but this one felt so refreshing and satisfying.

Rating:

3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I only wish this book was longer! I really enjoyed it and wanted much more. This is a companion series so the next books won't feature Athan and Tendra as the protagonists. But, I'm excited to read Idris's story (I'm assuming he is the hero of Blood Veil)!

Blood Guard
A Mission Novel
by Megan Erickson

NetGalley provided me with an ARC for a professional review
A sweet and sexy yet typical vampire romance with small twist and a great gotcha”.
Told in two very clear POV's – Tendra's and Athan's – the story of Tendra, a normal girl living in the abnormal city of Mission. Mission is crawling with beasties, particularly those with fangs. And she is marked as the savior of one of the fanged (vampire clans) or so she is told by Athan, he blood guard. He is the second son of the king, and his job, his only job, is to get Tendra's to to his brother the king.
The ever changing POV is nicely done with clearly defined personalities and word choices. In fact that is perhaps the best part of the book, as you can fall in love with the characters, both of them, through their own thoughts and words.
The romance is as important as the steamy love scenes. The few action scenes are well written.
4 out of 5 – this book is Book Nerd Approved

This was a pretty good book not my favorite by the author but still pretty good.

Blood Guard was an exciting spin on vampire romance and sucked me deep into this new paranormal world. As the first book of the Mission series, it really sets up the stage of the way things work within this world and gives us that first glimpse into it all leaving me craving more!

Athan grabbed my attention from the moment he grabbed Tendra and I couldn't wait to watch how it would play out. I loved that he battled himself - how before he had actually started guarding Tendra - he imagined it would be one way and yet the reality was so vastly different. He's not at all prepared for the feisty woman he's found, nor the feelings she stirs in him; feelings that could get him into serious trouble.

Tendra was a fascinating character - she's got an internal stregnth but also has a touch of vulnerability. She's not one for having a lot of bonds or friendships, she's moved around often, and now her mother is gone. She's sassy and smart and even when she finds herself in an unusual position - I mean come on it's not every day you are told you are the blood source for a Vampire to strengthen his clan. I loved her interactions with Athan - loved how she tried to work through it all in her mind while still trying to stay true to herself.

The plot of this book really grabbed me in and not only held my attention rapt - but made me want to know more. More about Tendra and Athan, more about the Gregorie vampire clan. With each part of the story woven together with the pieces I picked up before, I was anxious to see how things would play out. Though there was a lot of world set up within the pages - the main focus was on Athan and Tendra and the blooming romance between them.

I look forward to reading more books in this series and seeing where Erickson takes us in them.

I read the prequel, Bite the Hand that Bleeds, which provided an introduction to the world of Mission City. The prequel provided some background information on vampires and the purpose of and activities at the club, Bite. Blood Guard expands more on the background of the different vampire families and the family hierarchies. I enjoyed the author’s spin on vampire lore; it was different from the other vampire stories that I’ve read or seen on tv. I really liked Tendra (and her cat, Brex); I look forward to reading more about her (hopefully!) in the future books of this series. The story was a little predictable in some places, but there were other parts that were surprising. I would have liked to read more about the details of the prophecy in this book, but I wonder if that wasn’t covered because it would be spoilery to the other books in the series. Overall, I enjoyed Tendra’s and Athan’s story and thought it was a good start for the series.

This book was filled with sarcasm, an amazingly strong female lead, and sizzling smutty goodness. Overall, it was an awesome introduction to this world and left me dying for the next installment!

Tendra has been living her life through a haze of grief lately. Her mother recently passed away, leaving her adrift and unsure of herself. All her life, they’ve moved from place to place, on the run from some unseen force. Now that she’s on her own, she finds herself wondering when she needs to leave. Turns out, she hung around a little too long. Now she’s thrown into the world of vampires and other paranormals, most of them trying to hunt her down for her blood lineage.

Athan, the blood guard tasked with guarding and bringing her to his brother, has been training all his life for this job. Nobody could have predicted that it would be filled with so much confusion and temptation. Fighting is easy, but working on his interactions with Tendra is turning his world on its head. There’s a prophecy and his race’s survival in the balance, too. No pressure, right? These two somehow find their way to a really great solution, but it’s not without a lot of drama and surprises. I really enjoyed watching these two hit things head-on and become a phenomenal team.

This book has a lot of information for a reader to process. I had to reread a few sections to make sure I was getting everything right in my head. The plot was quite intriguing and I definitely wanted to know where it was going to go. And I wanted to learn about this world that the author was introducing me to. The writing was descriptive enough to show me this world of vampires but it wasn't a complex world building. I look forward to more in this series and hope for even more descriptive writing. I enjoyed the book even though it took me longer than normal to read it. And I look forward to reading more. I think others will enjoy this paranormal romance as well.

Blood Guard was a surprise. Seriously most vampire books have a lot of similarities but here we get a twist. there is one who can change the vampire king and give him powers. Athan is a blood guard. Tasked with protecting and delivering the sacred blood to his brother who is the future king. He's loyal. the clan love him and know to go to him with issues, and well he's all about duty.

Tendra "Ten" Parrish is going to test his limits. She's a badass woman who will stop at nothing but to keep herself safe and healthy. As a child she was moved around a lot and really never had an idea why. When Athan crashes into her life she knows things are going to change.

Seriously good read!!! You have life changing events that make them look back and realize maybe everything isn't as it seems. You have danger, attacks, betrayal, attraction, and of course hot sex. And of course we cannot forget Brex. That cat is awesome and I will say it again.. Cats rule ;)

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Rachael – ☆☆☆☆☆
This was such a good read. I really enjoyed the surprising turns the story took that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

Tendra has a lot that she has to deal with and a whole lot she has to come to terms with over a short span of time. She is an amazing woman who isn't afraid to step up and do what she needs to in each and every situation she finds herself in, even if it's not always what she wanted or planned for.

Athan finds that the task he has been training for his entire life isn't at all what he expected it to be. His interactions with Tendra and the few other people we meet are so fun. I loved getting to see all the different sides to such a complex man and the hard decisions he finds himself having to make.

Then there was Brex. I loved that stinking cat. You'll have to read to find out why he is so cool.

Can't wait to read the next installment in this series and where all these interesting characters are going to end up.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Paranormal Romance

This is a story about honor, duty, and love. Erickson was able to weave the characters so seamlessly that you can't help but root for the couple, despite the danger and potential wars to come.

Tendra has always moved around and when she loses her mother, she just kind of becomes a little stagnant. She has one friend and her job, but that's all she has. When she meets Athan and he tells her that she is meant for something more, something greater, she is skeptical at first, but then she just comes to accept her future. What she endures is a trip of a lifetime and a love that will span eternity.

Athan is hot – he has the ability to suck the air right out of the room with his presence. He is kind, gentle, and bound by duty. Despite not always agreeing with his duty, he does try his best to figure out how to complete what was asked of him. He has trained for securing Tendra for his entire life, but when he actually is tasked with bringing her back, his training isn't much help. The feelings he knows he shouldn't have develop regardless and he is hard pressed to fight them back.

Tendra and Athan make a great couple. They complement each other and I love how Tendra is snarky but kind and how endearing that snarkiness is to Athan. These two must figure out whether or not they can be there for each other without breaking the rules.

I can't wait to see where this series goes and I really hope to get the next book soon!


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This was such a wonderful surprise! This is my first m/f and my first fantasy by Megan Erickson and I was completely won over by the brilliant world building and the intriguing characters.

I’m suffering from a touch of vampire fatigue but this is actually an original and engaging premise (though there are a couple of nods to JR Ward’s first Black Dagger Brotherhood book). The idea of a full-on parallel fantasy realm is thought provoking and I love that Athan’s vampire world feels more high fantasy than urban fantasy. With clashing vampire races, treacherous internal politics and some Game of Thrones worthy powerplays, I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Athan’s Gregorie Vampire kingdom.

I have to admit that I found Tendra a little bit annoying at the start. All the usual UF tropes are used to establish her as a strong and independent woman – but this is overegged a little and she becomes more likeable as we settle into the story. Similarly, Athan’s revelation as a sexy, dangerous, and non-human love interest is a little bit cliched and he too becomes more enjoyable as the story takes over. I loved the forbidden attraction between Athan and Tendra. She is his brother’s promised wife and Athan is determined to honour his family. The result is fantastic sexual tension.

The world building slows down the story at the beginning but I loved the action and intrigue once I understood Athan’s world and the power struggle within. I definitely engaged more with the action than the romance but all the elements of the story work well together.

I’m already looking forward to the next book in this series and I’m excited to see these characters and relationships develop further.

It has been a while since I have read a vampire story so I was excited to hear about this new one from Megan Erickson. I really loved the world she created with this book. Tendra is alone in this world except for a few close friends. She isn’t afraid of what goes bump in the night and she has the fighting skills to back that up. But she has met her match when she meets Athan and learns a long guarded secret about her family past. She also learns vampires are real. Tendra and Athan have a long way to get from Mission City to the Gregorie home past the Misson Woods and there are a few people or should I say creatures trying to make sure they don’t get there.

I think Tendra and Athan were a little instalovy but that is expected in the circumstances they were in. I really felt the connection between the two and was wondering how all of it would work out due to Tendra’s “duty” to the Gregoire Clan. Even though Athan was tasked to protect Tendra she really fought for him too. I loved the interaction between those two. I figured some things out in this book but it wasn’t because it was predictable. It just had my mind going at 100 trying to figure out what was what. My favorite scene….Wings. That was so great and I can’t wait to see what is next for this couple.

If you’ve been itching for a good ol’ fashioned paranormal romance, then you may want to check this series out. It has a lot of the elements that I used to love about the genre years ago and I’ve been searching for that lately without much success.

This is basically a tale of fate and forbidden love. Athan, the hero, is tasked with bringing Tendra to his clan of vampires. She’s fated to be the lifeblood of their clan and destined to service his brother and firstborn, the future king. I can’t say the main storyline of this wasn’t predictable, because it was. And I also can’t say that the romance itself was stellar, because it’s a little insta-lovey for my taste and could’ve been better developed in that the characters should’ve connected more in things other than survival and sex.

But the glimpse we get about this underground society that Ms. Erickson has created was interesting and the story kept me entertained. It’s a fast read and it does pack a sexy punch so if you’re in the mood for that, then check this out.

Why I think this didn’t get a higher rating for me is that it lacked depth. In both world building and character development. We get some but not enough for me and I think it would be interesting to dive in deeper and understand the world a little better. BLOOD GUARD came across a bit one dimensional but it also presented an interesting world that I would like to know more about. Starved as I am for paranormal romance, I think this series has promise and I’ll definitely be checking out the next one.

This was a great story with a unique plotline and a great start to a new series.

Tendra grew up as a human, hidden from her destiny. But when she is no longer safe Athan is sent to be her guard and bring her safely to his brother, the future king. What I loved most about Athan was his extreme loyalty. Even though he was attracted to Tendra himself, he wouldn't allow himself to have her.
It is prophesied that Tendra's blood will give new power to the heir. It's supposed to be an honored position but it takes some convincing. Tendra must quickly accept this position, and the author does a great job of not dancing around the subject, while making Tendra a fun heroine.

I really enjoyed it and was glad it was a Standalone as opposed to being a cliffy. The conclusion was very satisfying and i am highly anticipating the next in the series

I REALLY liked this book! I was on the edge of my seat through the entire thing and really didn't want it to end because I was so wrapped up in the characters. The writing is so good that you feel like you are there and experiencing everything right along with them. I loved the honor and core values of both of the characters, they were so deep and strong. These are the kind of characters that stick with you after you've finished a book, that you want to keep following and getting to know even more. I can't wait to see where the series goes but I can't imagine liking any two characters more than I do these.

I did not know what to expect but I got an interesting ride. This is a world where vampires live among humans while a war brews between vampire clans. Athan is sexy, honest, and driven. Tendra has lived an unstable life built on moving and loss of family. With a cat as her companion, she finds a way to trust Athan and make decisions that affect her life as well as others. The two of them are a strong couple and will do anything for each other. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the next one.

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

This book is all about vampires, sex and plot. I highly suggest reading it if you are into those three things.